Yum! I was worried when I was the only one there during dinner rush, but I'm so glad I stayed. The chips were thin and crispy, and the red salsa had an oregano-y flavor to it. My carnitas burrito was great. Well seasoned, with a great mix of toppings. The beans were sort of in between refried and whole, which added some great texture. I will be trying it again. read more

Alfonso's Authentic Mexican Food - Burrito w carnitas - Mexican Near Me - Castroville, California

Absolutely loved this hidden gem of a mexican heaven on our way back from highway 1 drive and a long day at the beach. Out of the very few places you cross by, we found a place that accepts cards and is not a mc Donald's/ taco bell chain. There is lots of parking right in front of this restaurant and it's a quick detour from highway one when going back to san jose, which makes it the best quick bite spot for us!! As you enter, you are greeted by a friendly (and only 1) server. She gets water and menu cards to your table and waits to be called to come get your order. In $37 (before tax and 3% surcharge for credit card), we got: - free chips and salsa upon request 5/5 loved the mild salsa and spicy green sauce yum yum!! - super burrito 5/5 with chicken, add jalapeño and it was tooooo big!! Definitely to share :) paired perfectly with green sauce - beef flautas - 4/5 loaded with meat and comes with side of rice and refried beans Clean restrooms and quick service makes this the perfect pit spot for us!! Ps - 3% surcharge added for credit card payments Must try!! read more

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Stopped by on a quiet Tuesday afternoon. The vibe was cozy and charming. We had the guac and chips, the guac was fresh but the chips left a bitter aftertaste:( Also tried the horchata and hibiscus drinks, I liked the hibiscus one more. We were too hungry to pause for food pictures. The Alaskan Salmon was flavorful and nicely cooked served with rice, sauce, and pico de gallo. The pico could've used more seasoning, but the dish overall was decent. Just a few small tweaks away from great! read more

Alfonso's Authentic Mexican Food - Mexican Near Me - Castroville, California

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Very clean, cozy and tidy place, delicious food and good customer service... I got the snapper Veracruz, my husband the parrillada. Both delicious! Comes with guacamole, rice and beans. Generous portions. Food came quickly! The cherry on top: freshly handmade tortillas! And don't miss the horchata, it's so creamy and has the perfect sweetness . One of my favorites now! read more

Alfonso's Authentic Mexican Food - Snapper Veracruz, Parrillada - Mexican Near Me - Castroville, California

Alfonso's Authentic Mexican Food was a cool surprise on our way down to Carmel. Like many have mentioned, the restaurant is in an unassuming strip mall next to a Roundhouse Pizza. We were just looking to pick up something along the way off the freeway and this fit the bill. Quick 10 min pick up and we were on the road again. The Super Burrito was amazing bursting with flavors. The Carne Asada Fries definitely hit the spot. They did not skimp on the sauces and guacamole And guess what? It wasn't expensive at all! You get a lot of food for your money. I definitely recommend anyone on a road trip to stop by Alfonso's! read more

We were a party of six. Had a super snotty waitress who immediately got mad when we asked to turn the music down. We were the only ones in the restaurant and 5 out of the 6 diners are hard of hearing. We made the best of it. Food was delicious, but I'd rate the service 2/5. read more

I loved the Abuelita's Enchilada - the mole sauce was wonderful, but the beans were pretty and stylish (just not my style of taste). And the Fried Artichoke Hearts were fresh and tender and tasty. My companions loved their meals. Service was friendly and great. We were a table of older folks and I had trouble hearing conversation over the background music and nearby conversations. read more

Honestly any bad reviews of this place are just people complaining for no reason. Don't listen to them! The place itself provides a calm, relaxing vibe. I was surprised because I expected a loud environment with music blasting, especially because it was a Sunday night. The server was very nice. I was worried that the food would not meet my expectations but I was wrong! The food was delicious and very generous portions! I got the wet burrito with green sauce. Even though the sauce was more sweet and not spicy at all, it was still very delicious!! The horchata is the best I've ever had!! This place is now one of my favorite Mexican restaurants and definitely will be coming back. read more

This was the worst Mexican food I ever had.The groundbreaking was sweet and red like El pastor. The tortilla chips smelled like old oil. I ate there a couple of years ago. It was totally different. My tacos didn't even hold together.Call bottom of the shell disintegrated due to they were soggy. I will never eat there again. read more

We went for Saturday breakfast -and yelp did not disappoint! Being from Texas, we are used to giant portions-but this impressed even us! Coffee was just made. Service was great! Breakfast omelette was delicious. And their Mexican rice and beans were on point! read more

Alfonso's Authentic Mexican Food - Chicken sope-huge ! Mole was a bit cinnamonny for us-but it worked with the sope! - Mexican Near Me - Castroville, California

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Food? I respect the opinions of others but this is not to my taste. Abuelita's Enchiladas is covered with mole sauce. It tasted more like barbecue sauce to me. I ordered the beef which was shredded. There was a lot of meat in the enchiladas so in that way, they were a good value. The chicken used in the Enchiladas Verdes was shredded chicken with a red sauce which was not great but again, there was a lot of meat. The beans that accompanied both meals were lovely; silky smooth with a good flavor. The Arroz de la Mexicana was light and fluffy but tasteless. Service? The young woman who answered the phone and took my money was friendly and easily understood. Usually, young people tend to not speak clearly or speak too quickly, but not her. Ambiance? Looking around the dining room, it was not too full of clutter and looked clean and well cared for. I just didn't care for the food but it's a nice, family owned business. read more

During our recent trip North, we had the opportunity to visit this establishment, and it certainly lived up to our expectations. I ordered the chorizo, eggs, and potatoes burrito, which was impressively large and delicious. My husband chose the sope, which was also substantial, and he thoroughly enjoyed his meal. My daughters, who tend to be selective eaters, decided on the carne asada. The freshly made tortillas were a highlight, and they particularly appreciated the tortilla chips, which they noted were also fresh. The name "Authentic" truly reflects the quality of the Mexican rice served here. Excellent customer service. Our girls were very thirty and our waiter kept the refills coming. They also have very clean restrooms. If you're in the area, I highly recommend stopping by. read more

Alfonso's Authentic Mexican Food - Mexican Near Me - Castroville, California

The moment the fried artichokes arrived at my table, I knew I was in trouble. Golden, glistening, steaming gently in the dim restaurant light--they sat before me like forbidden lovers. I reached out with trembling hands, the anticipation unbearable, and when my teeth sank into that first delicate crunch, I swear the Earth stood still. The crisp exterior yielded to a tender, buttery heart that melted against my tongue. My pulse quickened. I closed my eyes. Somewhere, a mariachi trumpet cried out in sympathy with my soul. Each bite was an intimate dance, a slow unraveling of restraint. I was powerless, utterly consumed. My fork trembled like a lover's touch as I whispered promises I knew I couldn't keep. "I'll never let you go," I told the last piece, before devouring it with reckless abandon. The tacos? Wonderful. The burrito Divine. But nothing--nothing--compared to the raw, unfiltered passion I shared with those artichokes. read more

Alfonso's is one of my favorite restaurants for Mexican in the area They make generous portions of great, authentic, Mexican food They have a thorough menu The service is OK not great, but the food makes up for it Bon Appetite!! read more

Absolutely 5 stars! I'd give a zillion if I could! I called on Friday regarding a larger order for Mother's Day, I was so nervous about it being a "late" order however they not only accommodated us but the went over and above to make it a wonderful experience with them. Shannan and the owner were amazing and unbelievably kind. They were very communicative regarding our request and they called when the food was ready. This was all my mom wanted for Mother's Day. Good Mexican food we didn't have to make or have a huge clean up. Alfonsos came through! Please patronize this establishment! They deserve it and they are delicious and equally amazing. This place has been through it, they've rebuilt and remain the best family owned and operated Mexican restaurant around. Thanks again Alfonsos for making my Mother's Day exactly what we wanted. Great food and good memories! read more

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My wife brought enchiladas home for takeout. I can say that if I had been in a restaurant I would have sent it back or just walked which would have been my very first time. I think the quality was OK (I ate it) but how is it OK to use BBQ sauce for a carne asada enchilada. And the green one was laden with sugar too. Beans were soup, rice fine. To me, this is especially GROSS when you look at the fact that half the population will be diabetic in the next ten years. Avoid the food, it is what I would expect in Iowa, Greenland or Russia. read more

The food is out of this world delicious! My fish taco had 1/2 a tilapia was grilled to perfection ! The chips warm! My companions had the carnitas/artichoke heart enchiladas and love them! I am only here once a year and would never miss a chance to return to Alfonso's! You should treat yourself to great service and a wonderful culinary experience read more

Went to use the restroom and as came out the door a large cockroach walked in front of me. The room it came out of smelled like nasty fish. we had paid and ordered already. Gave the tacos to the dog. I will not eat at a restaurant with cockroaches/cucarachas. If you see one cockroach there are many at night crawling on the cooking equipment and food. It is very unhealthy read more

As someone who loves Mexican food but is also super picky about my food, this was THE best burrito I've ever had. Perfect balance of every ingredient. Totally unassuming stop of the highway as we drove down to Carmel- I was sold by the yelp reviews & 100% agree with all the great feedback for this place!! read more

Alfonso's Authentic Mexican Food - Chicken burrito - Mexican Near Me - Castroville, California

We go here regularly. Its probably our favorite mexican restaurant. I roam the menu fairly wide and not been disappointed. The salsa is spicy and the chips toasty. The wife swears by the Parrillada (on the specials board). Its pretty magnificent. Owner is a standup awesome guy. read more

Alfonso's Authentic Mexican Food - Mexican Near Me - Castroville, California

23.0103 - After randomly pulling into a large commercial parking lot full of stores while in search of grub, we could have picked from no less than 4 obvious food retailers, we just happened to walk into this small restaurant first. We were promptly greeted and then handed the requested menus. We both quickly decided to order take out from them. We ended up ordering my favorite and standard order from any Mexican restaurant, that being a carnitas, bean and cheese burrito. The order taker, the receipt says it was "Jacky," allowed the substitution of cheese for the included rice in the burritos. We ate our hefty and very tasty burritos about a block away at a quiet spot before hitting the long road again. The carnitas were unique in their wet flavor profile. Most fast Mexican restaurants have partially crispy, little flavor profile carnitas. This was noticeably good carnitas. In addition to the quality burritos, we were surprised to find included in the bag, very freshly made tortilla chips. The requested and included green and red sauces were excellent as well. They also included to go utensils and plenty of napkins (that I asked for extras of). As an American of Hispanic descent that has certain food expectations from this particular order, I can whole heartedly say that Alfonso's has the touch. Note: The to go bag of food felt like it weighed 5# with everything in it. The burritos were large (sorry, no pictures). However, the price was the kicker. $11.80 after tax per burrito. My neighborhood local offering of the same is over $15 per these days and doesn't taste this good. Take advantage of your neighborhood gem people! If I/we lived anywhere near this restaurant, it would definitely be in the weekly+ rotation. Hope to see this leave again someday down (technically up) the road. read more

This restaurant was a delightful find. I expected simple hearty Mexican food, but the quality, service and price all exceeded expectations. The Fish taco included two of the best fish tacos I have ever had! Grilled fish filets on homemade corn tortillas. Nice refried beans without thickeners and rice. Others in our party had fajitas and enchiladas; all were fantastic. Service was prompt and attentive. Price was very affordable. I will be back! read more

We've gotten take out here a couple times, and had a chance to dine in on a holiday weekend. The service is friendly and fast. Love the house made Horchata and Jamaica. I had the Flautas, and the presentation was nice, flavors were good. They have a board with specials when you walk in. My husband had the artichoke enchiladas, and said the flavor was very good. Great choice for the area, and we will definitely be back! read more

Alfonso's Authentic Mexican Food - Chicken Flautas with rice and beans - Mexican Near Me - Castroville, California

On our way back home I wanted something hot to warm me up so we stopped by Alfonso's to try their pozole. This is a quaint little restaurant. Seems like they have a lot of regulars. We ordered: Fried artichoke hearts: 4/5 taste just like fried artichoke hearts. Chipotle sauce gave it a little kick Pork posole: 5/5 totally hit the spot. Great flavor! Carnitas plate: 4/5 big chunks for carnitas were tender and crispy. Carne asada tacos: 4/5 pretty good! Love me some carne! Orchata: 3/5 decent but a little watered down. Waitress was really nice. Highly recommend this restaurant if you are passing by this town. read more

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Well, it is quite an experience here and despite what others have said, I thought it was solid. Our server was on point, helpful, and kept a good eye on us (necessary because some tables are hidden which is cool) and the food was good. Everything was fresh, although I would say nothing came out as one would expect, which I appreciated the unique experience. Overall, a solid 4 stars. read more

Alfonso's Authentic Mexican Food - Stacked nachos- at first I was thinking, hmmm- it just doesn't seem right. But WOW! Tasty and quite a serving! - Mexican Near Me - Castroville, California

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Wow, that was the worst meals my husband and I ever had. I have no clue why folks are giving this restaurant 5 stars. My husband and I were unable to finish our meals--that's how bad it was. The food was salty, overcooked, and not made from fresh ingredients. The enchilada sauce tasted like canned El Pato sauce. The flautas were so mercilessly fried that the meat inside was charred black. Everything tasted like microwaved food (not prepared on the spot). The service was lackluster with an indifferent waitress. As Mexicans who know what good Mexican food tastes like, we do not recommend this place. You're better off going to a nearby taco truck. Oh- and the food is so overpriced!! read more

excellent service, excellent food, very small tables close together. quaint and friendly a great stop in and out of the Monterey bay. We had the sopes with grilled chicken and artichoke enchiladas both were nummie. read more

Normally I don't like going back and updating reviews but I had to. I absolutely had to. I don't know who made the food tonight June 22nd 2021 at 5:00pm (hope that helps the restaurant) anyways we ordered fried artichoke apatizer, fajitas, and shrimp cheese casadilla. My girlfriend ordered it to go to take home to me 20 minutes away. Long story for why. Anyways omg. Oh my God. This food, how it was made tonight, I can say hands down, if it did not just take the place of the best Mexican food in all of California it sure as heck tied it!!! I have lived in California my whole life and Mexican food is my thing. As a tow truck driver, I have traveled all of northern California and tried every taco truck, whole in the wall, upscale fine dining, authentic, fusion, whatever. You name it , I have tried it. Drivers and riders talk and I go and try lol. This place. You would be HARD pressed to try and find a better place. In Northern California it is my official opinion that you cannot. Wow. Just wow. OK so let's focus on the food.. The fried artichoke. If you have ever made artichoke at home you know that no one makes artichoke who does not have a passion for cooking. Having recently moved to the area I have tried several artichoke variations and even the "world famous" places do not hold a candle to this restaurant. The food was seasoned perfectly. The ingredients, the best. This place has me talking like Trump now, with my brain reeling from the euphoria I just experienced. I am absolutely in awe right now. My mouth has only experienced such level of skill and quality a handful of times in my life and this place just topped the list. And with Mexican food no less. You will not be disappointed giving this place a try. Wow. If the chef reads this or you read this to him or her please tell them they blew my mind tonight and thank you. read more

Alfonso's Authentic Mexican Food - Artichoke burrito! - Mexican Near Me - Castroville, California

Some of the best Mexican food served up this side of the border can be found right here. No need to go any further when you can get the best wet burrito right here. My favorite was the shredded beef burrito with that hot sauce poured on top. So delicious. And their shredded beef enchiladas are the best, with refried beans and rice. In fact everything I ever tried here was delicious. You can't go wrong if you are looking for good Mexican food. read more

On our way to a basketball game we stopped by looking for something quick to go. We decided to order 2 burritos. One was carne asada the other Chile verde. The burritos we what you want in size, they were big.... The asada burrito was good and filling. The Chile verde was tasty but a bit messy to eat on the car...I want to go back and have dinner here to try some additional menu items... the menu had several other things besides Mexican food . Sorry I didn't get any pics... read more

The server Yani is the best! We made our own ala carte tacos and we loved the fried artichokes!! The strip mall location might through you off, BUT try this taqueria, it's super authentic and the locals love it. Alfonso's has good wine and was dog friendly! What's not to like:) read more

Alfonso's Authentic Mexican Food - Carne Asada with quac opinions and celantro, on homemade tortillas;) - Mexican Near Me - Castroville, California

Terrible~ we had fish tacos , enchiladas and fajitas ...all my family were sick afterwards

Stopped by here for a late lunch while out at Moss Landing for the weekend. Everything we had was yummy, I got the fish tacos which were very generous with tilapia, had a homemade tartar sauce, and some nice pickled cabbage. Hubby got the Camarones a la Diablo And they were flavored very well, prawns were amazingly fresh and cooked to perfection. They are refried beans are made from a white bean and I love their consistency not too thick a little more soupy which is perfect with their homemade tortillas. I would certainly recommend. Looking at the menu they serve breakfast 24 seven and their breakfast options looked amazing as well. They had deep-fried artichoke hearts which I've always wanted to try but was so full from the meal couldn't squeeze it in. Next time for sure. read more

Alfonso's Authentic Mexican Food - Happy Friday! - Mexican Near Me - Castroville, California

Stopped in for a quick bite and found a very gracious waitress !! Very helpful and willing to have a great conversation for a lonely traveler yet knew exactly when to make their service happen! The food was really good ! I have not given 5 stars in a while but with the trifecta of service / food / managment I had to give it.. I will make it a point to come back! It hit all my points for a good restaurant! read more

Amazing food like always. Some who rated it and complained were obviously never raised eating like us. I know what authentic Mexican food is supposed to tasted like I grew up with Mexican aunties and neighbors and this is as close at it gets. In our culture no we don't have to constantly bother you to check on you so whoever has left comments about that kindly due the diligence of ethnic studying. Now to get to the point, every single time I have been to this restaurant-- the service is amazing! All of them are so kind and attentive. Again we don't even have to speak English if it's a cultural restaurant whether it's Asian, Oceania, or Native mix I.e. Mexican/Salvadoran/Guatemalan etc. But I have to note the waiters do speak English especially being Mesoamérican native descendants and I can't help to notice how amazing that is as it takes practice and work to learn English. I prefer my people are as comfortable as possible and not come with a condescending attitude so I speak to them in Spanish if they're comfortable unless they want to practice their English of course. Now with that said Isaac (hope I spelled his name right) is the sweetest and so is the lovely waitress (hope it's ok to identify her as she if not please lmk I'll update changes) so kind and sweet. It is irritating white European American elder men throw subliminal cat calling comments at her but she keeps it very professional. These are the things I have to still witness as a customer-- my people having to deal with this. keep in mind they could easily refuse anyone with such inappropriate behavior this isn't the 50s. That should say plenty right there. Moving forward with the food the agua de Jamaica está un poquito dulce sabiera un poquito mejor si estuviese un poquitito más simple. The horchata is amazing! I enjoy the huevos rancheros as always and this time I had the chimichanga it has so much chicken lol a little too much for my taste but if you're extremely hungry that'll hit the spot! I love how it's not soggy! My favorite is the "abuelitas enchiladas con mole"! Omg it's as close to home made! The rice and beans are amazing as always the clearly fresh tortillas are esquizitas! I had never had their flan and it's also just right not too sweet just right! The music gives me nostalgia! reminds me of my elders growing up. Thank you to everyone at Alfonsos! Como siempre es un placer! read more

Alfonso's Authentic Mexican Food - Two carne asada plates and a chimichanga plate! Yum - Mexican Near Me - Castroville, California

I really recommend this place, food is delicious, portions are great, even the chips and salsa are tasty, prices very reasonable, service is good, definitely give this place a try, I am not usually to leave a review... only when it's worth it. We will coming back for sure. read more

Wide selection of fresh Mexican plates. Especially impressive range of seafood specials and a number of unique items featuring the regional specialty produce (artichokes). My husband devoured his carnitas enchiladas and my salmon-shrimp-artichoke special in ranchero sauce was super fresh and hit the spot. read more

Walking in immediately they were understaffed and had us wait for 15 minutes to get our order taken, our waiter seemed to be annoyed at us the whole time we were ordering and along that had a 30 minute wait for our food to come in. (Wasn't busy) I had ordered a wet burrito and the green salsa that it came with was sweet instead of spicy. Other than that the asada was good. That same salsa was put on everything else that came with it except the chips and salsa. As for the horchata (rice water) the milk put in it had specs for the milk separating and had a faul smell and I didn't realize it was going bad until afterwards. read more

It's been over a year of coming to Alfonso's regularly and I have never been disappointed. They are open for carry out during Covid so I try to order at least once a week. What my husband and I love: #2 and #3 combination platters (the slow cooked beef is phenomenal). Shrimp and Artichoke enchilada plate (I also request the homemade green sauce with this one). Beef flautas Mexican style shrimp cocktail. This cocktail is the best I have ever had. Pozole and the Siete Mares Everything we have had from Alfonsos has been fresh and delicious. read more

Alfonso's Authentic Mexican Food - Shrimp and artichoke enchilada plate - Mexican Near Me - Castroville, California

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Never been here before but the the grilled salmon was perfectly cooked! The owner was very friendly towards my family and actually had a pleasant conversation between my mom and dad turns out they grew up in the same town. The interior is this nice tan painted walls decorated with beautiful oil paintings and they have these nice tin murals on the entrance walls read more

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